Oak brake



(No ModeL) 2 Sheets-:Sheet 1. I I G. F. CARD. 4

UAR BRAKE. N0. 334,63'7. v Patented Jan. 19, 1886.

. In an in F: 5 20 2 75.4 in ad I 2 sheets -s heet 2. G. P. CARD.

GAR BRA E.-

(No Model.)

Pat ented Jan. 19, 1886.

N. PETERS. Phaxo-Lulm n her. Wiuhinglnn, D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT Orrrcn.

GEORGE F. CARD, OF COVINGTON, KENTUCKY, ASSIGNOR TO HENRY K. LINDSEY, OF SAME PLACE.

CAR-BRAKE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 334,637, dated January 19, 1886.

Application filed June 8, 1885.

'1' 0 all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, GEORGE F. CARD, of Oovington, Kenton county, Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Oar-Brakes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in those devices whereby-at any instant of time-the momentum of a moving car or train can be utilized to retard or to stop it; and my invention consists in means by which the machinery for winding up the brakes becomes liberated for action by the disconnection or enfeeblement of an elcctromagnet in a circuit which is held normally closed. Such disconnection or enfeeblement is capable of being accomplished at any moment, for the whole train, by the engineer or other person controlling it through the instrumentality of a switch or a rheostat in the circuit.

Rupture of the circuit accompanied by instantaneous setting of the brakes automatically ensues upon any one or more cars which become accidentally uncoupled from that part of the train which remains attached to the 10- comotive. In the best forms hitherto devisedv for this purpose the major portion of the mechanical duty of setting the brakes is made to devolve on the running-gear of the car itself, in association with a spring or weight, the duty of the electro-motive force being the comparatively light one of simply liberating these mechanically-acting members for operation.

In my present invention I secure a further notable advance in economy ofcurrent by utilization, for the holding of the spring or weight out of action, of the same rotation of the axle as is made use of to wind up the brakechain Windlass. This object is accomplished by the employment of an electro magnet which encircles the axle, the latter acting as an armature, and whereby by the movement of such magnet through a small fraction of an inch in the act of grasping the axle the rotation of the axle itself becomes available to overcome such spring or weight, so as to relieve the electro-motive force of that duty, and which has heretofore necessitated an armature movement of several inches, with a corresponding expenditure of current force.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is thereof.

a top view of a brake-operating mechanism embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical section on the line 2 2, the parts being in their normal condition and the brakes oft". Fig. 3 is a similar section of the parts more immediately concerned in my invention, the brakes being set. Fig. 4- is a horizontal section on the lined. 4.

A may represent part of a railway-car truck-frame. B may represent a track-wheel C may represent part of the axle of such wheel, and D a hub or collar thereupon, part of which hub constitutes one of the friction-wheels by which motion of the axle is communicated to the brake-Windlass.

E. may represent part of any customary or approved system of brake-levers.

F may represent the customary chain or cable, which connects the brake-system proper with the brake-Windlass G. The brake-windlass G isjournaled in a frame, H, one end of which is supported upon and secured to the axle O by any means that do not interfere with the axles rotation-such, for example, as straps I. The other end of said frame H is suspended from the truck-frame by hangers J.

Journaled in frame H by means of fulcru ms K is a lever, L, whose lower portion (preferably of the represented bifurcated form) contains journal-bearings for the shaft M of a friction-wheel, N, of larger diameter than hub D, which wheel (when said lever L is pressed in direction of the dotted arrow, Fig. 2) bears against the periphery of the before-mentioned smaller friction-wheel D, by which (should the train be in motion) it is rotated. The shaft M carries a pinion, O, that, remaining in permanent gear with a large spur-wheel, 1?, upon the brake-chain Windlass G, causes rotation of the latter, so as to wind up the brake-chain and to set the brakes. The transmitters D, N, O, 1?, and G have such relative diameters as to slow down the rotation at the Windlass to about one-fifteenth that of the axle, for the twofold purpose of securing great Windlass-power, and of avoiding atoo abrupt stretch of the brake-chain in the act of setting the brakes. A weight or spring, Q, connected by links R R and bellcrank S to the lever L, imparts a constant tendency in said lever to move in direction of the dotted arrow,

so as to produce contact of the two frictionwheels N and D, and this tendency unless counteracted would operate to keep thebrake mechanism permanently set. It is manifest that in actual use the precise reverse of the above conditions is required; or, in other words, it is necessary that while the brake mechanism should be capable at any given moment of prompt and certain action. its activity should, nevertheless, be held in a condition of normal suspense or abeyance. This has been hitherto accomplished in brake'opcrating devices of this kind by exerting a counter-pull upon the system of weighted levers by the direct action of the electro-magnetic armature, which has. consequently. required considerable length or amplitude of stroke with a corresponding expenditure of current. In my present invention. on the c ntrary, the pull upon the system of weighted levers is (lerivedfromthcsanie member which drives the brakc-windlassnamelv, the caraxle-through the medium of an electromagnetic clamp or clutch,whose demagnetization operates to liberate the weight for action. The movement of the parts of this clamp from a condition of activity to inaction. and vice versa, requiring to be only a small fraction of an inch, a comparatively feeble current is sufficient.

in my improvement the tendency ofthe lever L in direction of the dotted arrow. as aforesaid, is normally opposed and counteracted by the instrumenta!ities now to be explained: The hub D is of iron. and is sufficiently prolonged totake two embracing semiannular jaws or yokes, T. hinged or linked to one another at. 1. Each jaw contains an elec taro-magnet, U, whose pole'pieces u are capa ble ot'heinu' brought into close contact with the periphery ofthchub D, and which are adapted to tightly grasp the latter the instant that the electro-imignetiecircuit is completed. thehub D then actingas an armature to such magnets. On this taking place the electromagnetic clamp T tends to be revolved in the same di rection as that of the axle. so as to be carried to a position like that in Fig. 2, and would continue to revolve with the axle were it not brought to a standstill by reason of its connectionb v rod V and bell-crank \V-u ith the lever L. in consequence of this connection the drag in direction of rotation of the axlcis transferred to said lever L in force sufficient to overcomethatofthe weightQ, and by holding the friction-gear apart to release the brakes.

It will be perceived that activity of the brake mechanism accompanies non-activity of the elect-ro-magnet, and vice versa; hence a lowering or weakening of the current through the instrumentality of a rheostat, X, (conveniently located for the use of the engineer or conductor,) by relaxing thegrasp of the clamp T, pcrmi ts the weighted lever L to put the friction-wheels N and D in mechanical contact, and to initiatebrake action with force inversely proportionate to that of the current. It is furthermore apparent that through the same instrumeutality the engineer may at any instant suddenly set the brakes by simply rupturing the circuit. It is further manitest that such complete and instant setting of the brakes of one or more cars will automaticallyaccompany their accidental uncoupling from that part of the train which remains attached to theengine.

Each car may be provided with customary capstan. (not here shown,) to enable the forcible withdrawal of the brakes whenever desired.

The partD. which discharges the function of an armature to the electro-uiagnet U. may consist of an iron hub or collar shrunk or other wise secured upon the axle. or it maybe 85 an integral part of the axle itself turned down to the proper shape and dimensions for that purpose.

An important modification of the withindescribed arrangement, in which any electromagnetic clasp is utilized to produce instead of to suspend brake action, is the subject ot'a separate application for patent by me. Serial No. 186.737, filed 26th December, 1885, to whose specification reference may be made for more particular description of features common to both forms.

I claim as new and of my invention- 1. In acaebrakefln combination with a caraxle and brake-setting mechanism. a hub or collar on the axle, a clamp adapted to grasp said collar and mechanically connected with the brake-setting mechanism, electro-magnets for operating said clamp, a source of electricity, and a circuit including said magnets and source, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with a car-brake Operated by momentum of the train, of the electro-magnet clamp T. which embraces a hub, D,ontiic axle, and has normal electrical connection with a rheostat.X.and mechanical connection with the system of weighted levers, which set the brake-wiudlass in motion, substantially as set forth.

In testimony of which invent-ion I here- II5 unto set my hand.

GEORGE E. CARD.

Attest: V

Gno. H. KNIGHT, Grms. E. PRIOR. 

